What One Agency Exec Learned from Judging a Reality Show
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Jimmy Smith — the head of Amusement Park Entertainment and former TBWA creative — has spent a considerable amount of time behind the camera on branded content projects like Gatorade's "Replay" and Nike's "Battlegrounds." He recently traded places, making his TV debut as a reality-show judge. Every Wednesday night, Mr. Smith appears on VH1's new series "Model Employee," in which women fashion models vie to become spokesmodel for Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Here, he shares some reality-TV secrets, and what it's like to be caught — temporarily — in the Hollywood glare.
1. In the ad world, concept is king. In the TV world, Nielsen is king.
If you're a dope ad creative, you believe the recipe for a smash hit is a big idea that's executed to perfection. If it's been done before, you kill it. But if you're a reality TV show creative, there's a powerful force pushing you towards what's tried and true. It's called Nielsen. Whatever brotha Nielsen says is gospel. So if it worked once, you'd better do it again and again until the wheels fall off. Often, I sympathized with Madwood Media's Michael Flutie, EVP/creator of "Model Employee." He had a vision for his show (which I can't elaborate on because it'll reveal what's going to happen in the show) but sometimes it seemed like his vision was falling prey to brotha Nielsen.
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